Black Friday in the BRA more like FREE FRIDAY in Pirajá!

Albamarina Nahar - Brazil

February 4, 2012

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CURRENT NEWS IS ONLY OCCURRING BECAUSE THE MILITARY POLICE IS ON STRIKE. THEY WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY THEM A DECENT LIVING WAGE AND ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO DOING THEIR JOB, “PROTECTING THE PEOPLE AND CATCHING THE CRIMES.”

Before reading on, take a moment and watch this video that was recorded here in my neighborhood.

At lunch today my grandmother told me she went out to her daily physical therapy, but she told me the police on strike was getting worse day by day. I stayed confused until I was awoken from my nap by neighborhood yelling, “Pegue muitas coisas na Todo Dia, Casas Bahia e Cesta do Povo!” “I took many things from Todo Dia (Supermarket), Casas Bahia (Furniture/Electronic store) and Cesta do povo (Supermarket).”

I woke up confused. I ask my mom what’s going on, she says, “a povo ta oprevatando que a poliçia nao ta trabalhando.” “The people are taking advantage that the police are not working.”

My grandmother’s god daughter came into our home bringing us a huge box of packets of flour, a packet of toilet paper, bottles of oil, packets of garlic, two boxes of ‘bom-boms’, and more chocolate, etc.!! People are literally going crazy grabbing what they can because no one will stop them.

Early this morning I asked my mom if she wanted to go to the movies later on in the night and she told me if this whole police thing calms down then, yes we’ll go. But after I woke up she gave me that look of, “we are staying home tonight.”
It already being Friday, my whole neighborhood is leaping with joy and blasting the music a little earlier than usual. My little neighborhood friend Anny-Kelly laughed and yelled out that she was going to sell the shoes she took and make money.

My aunt ran into our house informing us about all the gossip from our neighborhood. She told us who took what and who is trying to sell products to whom already. She also told us the street where most of the robbers live were walking down their street with huge refrigerators on their backs, brand new mattresses, and new flat screen TV’s. I was not surprised at all; I knew it would get this wild!

Because they stole things, (or let me put this in a nicer way) they took things without getting in trouble. This is how most people started their weekend here in Piarajá. It’s not black Friday here, but it is definitely Free Friday (for most people). Or how my mom ended our conversation about this current event, “Deus e mais!” Povo corrupto = políticos corruptos.

About Albamarina

Brazil - 2012

Alba is a hard working, couragous, independent female who loves to give advice and express herself through out her poetry. She is proud to have acted, directed, and designed costumes in many of her schools productions, and is passionate about increasing awareness about teen domestic violence. _